Issue

Vol. 18 (2026)

Flexible Monolithic 3D-Integrated Self-Powered Tactile Sensing Array Based on Holey MXene Paste

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-025-01924-9
Mengjie Wang
Information Materials and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory of Anhui Province, Industry‑Education‑Research Institute of Advanced Materials and Technology for Integrated Circuits, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, People’s Republic of China
Chen Chen
Information Materials and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory of Anhui Province, Industry‑Education‑Research Institute of Advanced Materials and Technology for Integrated Circuits, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, People’s Republic of China
Yuhang Zhang
Information Materials and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory of Anhui Province, Industry‑Education‑Research Institute of Advanced Materials and Technology for Integrated Circuits, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, People’s Republic of China
Yanan Ma
Hubei Key Laboratory of Energy Storage and Power Battery, School of Optoelectronic Engineering, Hubei University of Automotive Technology, Shiyan 442002, People’s Republic of China
Li Xu
Hubei Key Laboratory of Energy Storage and Power Battery, School of Optoelectronic Engineering, Hubei University of Automotive Technology, Shiyan 442002, People’s Republic of China
Dan‑Dan Wu
Information Materials and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory of Anhui Province, Industry‑Education‑Research Institute of Advanced Materials and Technology for Integrated Circuits, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, People’s Republic of China
Bowen Gao
Hubei Key Laboratory of Energy Storage and Power Battery, School of Optoelectronic Engineering, Hubei University of Automotive Technology, Shiyan 442002, People’s Republic of China
Aoyun Song
Information Materials and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory of Anhui Province, Industry‑Education‑Research Institute of Advanced Materials and Technology for Integrated Circuits, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, People’s Republic of China
Li Wen
Information Materials and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory of Anhui Province, Industry‑Education‑Research Institute of Advanced Materials and Technology for Integrated Circuits, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, People’s Republic of China
Yongfa Cheng
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
Siliang Wang
Information Materials and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory of Anhui Province, Industry‑Education‑Research Institute of Advanced Materials and Technology for Integrated Circuits, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, People’s Republic of China
Yang Yue
Information Materials and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory of Anhui Province, Industry‑Education‑Research Institute of Advanced Materials and Technology for Integrated Circuits, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Yang Yue

yueyang@ahu.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 18 (2026), Article Number: 68

Abstract

Flexible electronics face critical challenges in achieving monolithic three-dimensional (3D) integration, including material compatibility, structural stability, and scalable fabrication methods. Inspired by the tactile sensing mechanism of the human skin, we have developed a flexible monolithic 3D-integrated tactile sensing system based on a holey MXene paste, where each vertical one-body unit simultaneously functions as a microsupercapacitor and pressure sensor. The in-plane mesopores of MXene significantly improve ion accessibility, mitigate the self-stacking of nanosheets, and allow the holey MXene to multifunctionally act as a sensing material, an active electrode, and a conductive interconnect, thus drastically reducing the interface mismatch and enhancing the mechanical robustness. Furthermore, we fabricate a large-scale device using a blade-coating and stamping method, which demonstrates excellent mechanical flexibility, low-power consumption, rapid response, and stable long-term operation. As a proof-of-concept application, we integrate our sensing array into a smart access control system, leveraging deep learning to accurately identify users based on their unique pressing behaviors. This study provides a promising approach for designing highly integrated, intelligent, and flexible electronic systems for advanced human–computer interactions and personalized electronics.


Highlights:
1 A flexible monolithic 3D-integrated tactile sensing system, inspired by the tactile perception mechanism of human skin, was developed based on a holey MXene paste.
2 Large-scale device fabrication was achieved using blade-coating and imprinting methods, demonstrating excellent mechanical flexibility, low-power consumption, fast response, and stable long-term performance.
3 The sensor array was integrated into a smart access control system, leveraging deep learning to achieve precise identification based on the unique pressing behaviors of users.

Keywords

Holey MXene Microsupercapacitor Tactile sensor Monolithic 3D integration Deep learning algorithm
Wang, Mengjie, Chen Chen, Yuhang Zhang, Yanan Ma, Li Xu, Dan‑Dan Wu, Bowen Gao, Aoyun Song, Li Wen, Yongfa Cheng, Siliang Wang, and Yang Yue. 2025. “Flexible Monolithic 3D-Integrated Self-Powered Tactile Sensing Array Based on Holey MXene Paste”. Nano-Micro Letters 18 (September):68. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-025-01924-9.
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